Landscapes, Ecosystems, Agriculture and Food Systems

The Santa Barbara Foundation is committed to preserving the natural beauty, ecological integrity and productivity of the wild and working lands in Santa Barbara County for generations to come. To that end, the foundation has launched the LEAF Initiative with the goal of strengthening community resiliency by preserving and enhancing the landscapes and systems that sustain nature, human health and our economy.

The LEAF Initiative was developed through a collaborative effort with community members, nonprofit organizations and donors. The initiative seeks to advance regional strategies to increase land conservation, improve ecosystem health, ensure agricultural viability and improve the local food system. Together with community partners, we are supporting the development of science-based tools and approaches for lasting conservation and system improvements in Santa Barbara County.

A collaboration between the Santa Barbara Foundation's LEAF Initiative, Land Trust for Santa Barbara County and Cachuma Resource Conservation District, the Santa Barbara County Conservation Blueprint is meant to inspire a more informed conversation about the Santa Barbara County landscapes and our shared future.The Blueprint includes an online mapping tool called the Atlas and a written report that focuses on five natural resource themes — Water, Flora and Fauna, Agricultural and Ranch Lands, Climate, and Community and the Land. In addition to showing opportunities and challenges relating to each resource, the report also shows how these resources interact with one another, are impacted by climate change and shape community values.

LEAF Special Report

SB County Food Action Plan

In Santa Barbara County, we are addressing the challenges that place our health, environment and community at risk. The Food Action Plan is the result of two years of collaboration and partnership, over a thousand hours of volunteer time, and the significant investment of local foundations and donors.

LEAF Grants

The Santa Barbara Foundation LEAF (Landscapes, Ecosystems, Agriculture, Food Systems) initiative seeks to increase community resiliency by preserving and enhancing the landscapes and systems that sustain nature, human health and our economy. The LEAF strategy includes development of a countywide Food Action Plan and a Conservation Blueprint. In support of the initiative, the foundation is offering grants to help strengthen the local food system, increase agricultural sustainability, and support land conservation, habitat restoration and ecosystem health. This year, funding priority for LEAF Grants will be for Food System projects that align with the Santa Barbara County Food Action Plan. Restoration, Conservation, and Best Practices projects will be considered subject to funding availability after the first priority grants. Please see the separate guidelines and applications for both grant types.

LEAF Grants: Food Systems

Food Systems grants are to support projects that align with one or more of the 16 goals and related strategies of the Santa Barbara County Food Action Plan (SBFAP). The Plan was released last year and project partners Community Environmental Council, Foodbank of Santa Barbara County and the LEAF Initiative are working to grow community capacity in order to create positive change in the local food system. Grant awards up to $20,000.

LEAF Grants: Restoration, Conservation and Best Practices

The Restoration, Conservation and Best Practices grants are to support habitat and ecosystem restoration, land conservation and innovative practices in agriculture, fisheries and resource management or conservation. Grant awards up to $20,000.

Current LEAF Projects

We have invested in two countywide efforts as part of the LEAF Initiative – the Conservation Blueprint and the Food Action Plan. These two planning projects will set the stage for greater community dialogue and strategic planning in the county, and will serve as the framework for future focus and projects of LEAF. As part of LEAF, the foundation is also providing small grants to seed restoration and conservation activities, and to pilot best practices for sustainability in agriculture, fisheries and land management.